Presently available internal combustion engines require aftertreatment systems in many cases to meet stringent emissions requirements. In one example of an aftertreatment system, solid materials for ammonia (NH3) storage have been developed as a source of reductant in selective catalytic reduction (SCR). By dosing gaseous ammonia desorbed or generated from the decomposition of solid storage media, the SCR system is capable of working at temperatures below the current limits of traditional urea-based SCR systems. Solid storage media systems for NH3 also operate without the negative aspects associated with urea-derived deposit problems in the exhaust system. However, solid storage media systems for NH3 need to be re-charged or replaced when the stored NH3 is depleted. Furthermore, it is desirable that the engine, vehicle, or other OEM manufacturer be able to determine or communicate if the NH3 storage system requires service, has been tampered with, or otherwise is of insufficient quality to meet emissions requirements. Further, quality deficiencies may need to be reported for maintenance or regulatory requirements. Direct measurements and verification of the solid storage media quality are presently unavailable. Therefore, further technological developments are desirable in this area.